Relvay makes a pregnancy pillow. We also tell you below when you should not buy one.
The short answer
First check it really shrank: the cover may be twisted or the insert may have shifted. Then compare how you washed it with its care label, and photograph both before contacting the seller.
- Stop pulling: a forced zipper can split.
- Measure: cover flat versus pillow.
- Save proof: label, measurements, order number.
What should you check when a pregnancy pillow cover no longer fits?
Work from the easy fixes to the real shrink. Many covers that seem too small after a wash are inside out, twisted, or fighting an insert that clumped.
- Stop pulling on the zipper. Open it fully and take the insert back out.
- Check the cover is the right way round. Seams on the inside, the bend of the cover at the bend of the pillow, both arms matched to the right arm.
- Check the insert. If the insert was washed or got damp, the filling may have bunched at one end. Shake and fluff it so it is even, and let it dry fully before trying again.
- Measure the cover lying flat. Length and width along the seams. Then measure the bare pillow the same way, and compare both to the size on your order page.
- Read the care label. Write down the water temperature and dryer setting it gives, then what you actually used.
- Photograph everything. The label, the cover flat next to a tape measure, the pillow next to it, and the zipper if it strained.
Why do covers shrink in the wash?
Heat is the usual cause. Hot water and a hot dryer can shrink many fabrics and wear out the stretch in blends, which is why most care labels ask for cool or warm water and low heat.
Saturday, 11:20 a.m.
I was 29 weeks and I had done a big wash: towels, sheets, and my pregnancy pillow cover, all on hot because the towels needed it. Then everything went in the dryer on high.
The cover came out soft and warm and, as I found out that night, about two inches too short. I got one arm in and the zipper stopped a hand's width from closing. So I pulled. I heard a tick from the zipper and stopped, sitting on the floor with the pillow half dressed and my back aching, thinking I had just ruined the only part of this pillow I could actually wash.
The label was right there on the seam. Cold wash, low tumble dry. I had never once looked at it.
One hot wash with the towels is all it takes, and it is the easiest mistake in the world to make.
Did it shrink, twist, or is it the insert?
The signs are different, and so is the fix. Use this before you decide the cover is ruined.
| What you see | Likely cause | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Cover measures shorter than before or than the listing | Real shrinkage, often from heat | Photograph and measure, then contact the seller. |
| Cover measures fine but will not go on smoothly | Twisted, inside out, or arms swapped | Turn it right side out and line up the seams. |
| Cover fits at one end, tight at the other | Insert filling bunched to one end | Fluff the insert evenly, dry it fully, try again. |
| Cover feels tight everywhere and the insert looks fatter | Insert is still damp or over-fluffed | Let it dry and settle a day, then retry. |
| New cover, never washed, too small | Wrong size from the start | That is a fit problem, not a shrink. See buying a cover that fits. |
Can you stretch a shrunk cover back?
Sometimes a little, often not fully, and it depends on the fabric. We do not recommend forcing it, because the seams and zipper usually give way before the fabric does.
If the label allows it, gently easing a slightly damp cover over the pillow can help it relax, but stop as soon as the zipper or seams pull. A cover that only closes under strain will split later, usually at 3 a.m. Sleepybelly's care guide puts it plainly: hot water is the enemy, because it can shrink fabric and break down stretch in blends.
What should you send the seller?
Send facts they can check in one email. Clear photos and measurements get faster answers than a description.
- Order number and delivery date.
- Photo of the care label, readable.
- Photo of the cover laid flat with a tape measure along the length.
- The bare pillow's length and width, and the size on the listing.
- How you washed and dried it, honestly. Sellers handle a care-label wash differently from a hot one.
- Photo of the zipper or seam if it strained or split.
Then ask a simple question: can they sell or send a replacement cover for this exact model? Some makers sell model-specific covers; check the model name before you order a generic one.
What can you use in the meantime?
Keep sleeping the way you were, with a clean layer between you and the insert. A large clean pillowcase over the part under your bump, or a soft sheet wrapped loosely around the pillow, works for a few nights if the insert's label allows uncovered use.
Next time, wash the cover on its own or with similar light items, on the temperature the label gives, and dry on low. Our guide on washing a pregnancy pillow walks through cover and insert separately.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my pregnancy pillow cover shrink?
Usually heat: a hot wash, a hot dryer, or both. Many covers are meant for cool or warm water and low dryer heat. Check the care label and compare it with how it was washed.
Can I unshrink a pregnancy pillow cover?
Sometimes slightly, not reliably. If the label allows, ease a slightly damp cover on gently and stop the moment the seams or zipper pull. Forcing it usually breaks the zipper first.
My cover fits at one end but not the other. Did it shrink?
Probably not. The filling in the insert has likely bunched toward one end. Fluff it evenly, let it dry fully, and try again before measuring for shrinkage.
What do I send the seller if my cover shrank?
Your order number, a readable photo of the care label, the cover laid flat next to a tape measure, the pillow's measurements and an honest note of how you washed and dried it.
Where the Relvay 3-Piece pillow fits in
Relvay does not sell spare covers for other pillows, so we cannot replace the one in this story. If your old pillow is worn out and you are replacing the whole thing anyway, our 3-Piece set is what we make. Its cover is removable and washable; like any cover, follow its care label for temperature and drying.
Two wedges for bump and back, joined by a flat strap, about as wide as your torso. Keep a regular pillow between your knees. $79.99, 90-day returns.
Gwen's story is a composite based on real reviews and public posts from pregnant side sleepers. Names and details are changed.
